Compositional and Metabolic Evaluation of Colostrum Preserved by Four Methods during Warm Ambient Temperatures

Abstract

Colostrum from several cows was cornposited from the first six milkings postcalving and subdivided into the following treatments: frozen, naturally fermented, formaldehyde treated at .05% by volume, and treated with propionic acid at 1% by volume. All colostrum except the frozen were stored at warm ambient temperatures. The above regime was replicated five times, and colostrum was fed to 20 Holstein calves at 3.64 kg daily (3 parts colostrum to 1 part water) for 3 wk. Composition of frozen colostrum was constant. For most components analyzed, naturally fermented colostrum had more nutrient breakdown during storage than did propionic acid-treated, with formaldehyde-treated intermediate. Nitrogen loss and protein degradation were higher in naturally fermented colostrum. The most consistent pattern in serum from calves was higher serum urea in calves fed naturally fermented colostrum. The higher serum urea was related (correlation = .42) to the nonprotein nitrogen content of the diet.